NU Benefits: Should Your Spouse Be On Your NU Medical Plan?
A simple cost check for the 2027 plan year (January 1 – December 31, 2027)
Should your spouse be on your NU medical plan?
This tool compares two choices:
- Keep your spouse on your NU medical plan
- You stay on NU, and your spouse uses the health plan from their own job
It takes about 10 minutes. You answer a few easy questions, and the tool does the math.
How to fill it in
Yellow boxes are the only places you type or choose. Click a yellow box, then pick your answer from the dropdown.
What you'll need
How much your spouse would pay each month for each plan they could choose (you can compare up to 3). If you know other details (like the deductible), great. If not, we'll use typical amounts.
The 4 steps
- About you and your spouse
- Your health care
- Your spouse's plan options
- Your results
Questions? Email askhr@nu.edu. Estimates only — the official plan documents decide what is covered.
Step 1 of 4: About you and your spouse
Click each yellow box to pick an answer. We filled in sample answers — please change any that don't fit you.
This helps us point out Medicare rules that may affect you.
People on Medicare or Social Security can't put money in a Health Savings Account (HSA). This affects the HDHP.
If not, we'll compare NU plans only.
"Protection" means we favor plans that limit what you'd pay in a very expensive year.
The EPO does not pay for out-of-network doctors, except in emergencies.
Step 2 of 4: Your health care in 2027
Your best guess is fine. Think about a normal year for each of you.
| Question | You | Your spouse |
|---|---|---|
| Doctor visits in a year Not counting your yearly checkup, which is free on all NU plans. |
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| Prescriptions taken every month Medicines you refill regularly. |
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| What kind of prescriptions? Generic drugs cost less. Specialty drugs are very expensive. |
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| Lab tests, x-rays, or scans Beyond routine yearly bloodwork. |
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| Urgent care or emergency room visits | ||
| Surgery or a hospital stay planned or likely? |
Step 3 of 4: Your spouse's health plan options
Enter up to 3 plans your spouse could choose. For each plan, only the monthly cost is needed. Leave any other box empty and we'll use the typical amount shown.
Where to find these: your spouse's benefits guide or plan summary (often called the "SBC"), or their HR office.
Spouse plan 1
Typical: $1,500 Typical: 0.2 Typical: $5,000 Typical: $30 Typical: $10 Typical: $40 Typical: $0Spouse plan 2 (optional)
Typical: $1,500 Typical: 0.2 Typical: $5,000 Typical: $30 Typical: $10 Typical: $40 Typical: $0Spouse plan 3 (optional)
Typical: $1,500 Typical: 0.2 Typical: $5,000 Typical: $30 Typical: $10 Typical: $40 Typical: $0The $150 in the first box is a sample. Replace it with your spouse's real monthly cost. Leave plans 2 and 3 empty if your spouse has only one option.
Step 4 of 4: Your results
OUR BEST ESTIMATE FOR YOUR HOUSEHOLD
Why we picked this:
Compare all your choices
Each row is the NU plan you pick. Each column is where your spouse gets coverage. The best pick is highlighted in green.
Estimated 2027 total
What you'd pay each month (NU + your spouse's plan)
In a very expensive year (the most you'd pay)
Things to keep in mind
See the math (optional)
These are estimates based on your answers and typical prices. What you actually pay depends on the care you get. The official plan documents decide what is covered. Questions? Email askhr@nu.edu.